


Support

by mintables



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: M/M, PIONEERING NEW FRONTIERS FT MY FAV RAREPAIR, dont let that man near flowers he'll make shitty puns, entirely based off those yeah, i just married nilesfonse yesterday so, i kinda also stole so much from kamuzero's supports, i pulled an all-nighter to write this im so sorry, niles makes like three jokes about deflowering al, thank u heroes for s supports???, this is a mess im so sorry, this is gonna be so ooc and Bad, this is sappy as fuck, this is. my Worst Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-25 00:10:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12023985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintables/pseuds/mintables
Summary: Alfonse had promised himself he wasn't going to get attached to Heroes.Niles manages to break all the rules he's made for himself despite that.





	Support

**Author's Note:**

> IM APOLOGIZING IN ADVANCE FOR HOW OOC THIS WILL BE I DIDNT BOTHER PROOFREADING ITS LIKE 5 AM
> 
> (also ichi this is for u cause i keep forgetting to finish that pirate/prince au whoops im deeply sorry)

 

**I. Mutual Respect**

 

The new Hero Kiran had summoned couldn’t seem to leave Alfonse’s mind. He hadn’t been expecting much when she chose the colorless stone- although their ranks were in sore need of archers, she’d lately had an unfortunate streak of summoning entirely healers. When the man had appeared on the summoning stone, bow in hand and decidedly  _ not _ a healer, she’d cheered with joy before hastily introducing herself and Alfonse. He had been courteous, if a bit flirty, introducing himself to her- Niles, of Nohr- and Alfonse had thought Prince Leo would be quite excited to have his other retainer back, before his sharp gaze had locked onto him and he’d suddenly felt frozen in place.

He wouldn’t deny the man was gorgeous, of course- almost mysterious, the eyepatch doing nothing to mar his looks- but then again, most Heroes they summoned were. It didn’t mean Alfonse was about to go mooning over them; he wasn’t going to let himself get close to one of them again.

Not after Zacharias. And- before that-

But no matter what he knew to be true about Heroes, it had been the burning look in Niles’s eye that kept him staring straight back at him with wide eyes, feeling his face flush helplessly as Niles had quirked his lips into a smile. “ _ Alfonse _ , hmm? It will be my  _ pleasure _ to work with you, little prince.”

He had swept Alfonse’s hand to his lips, planting a kiss there before swiveling on his heel to follow Kiran to the barracks as she chattered excitedly, explaining their mission. He’d felt vaguely dizzy, head spinning as he glanced down at his gloved hand before following them into the castle. He hadn’t missed the wink Kiran threw him over her shoulder, but he elected to ignore it. There were times he wondered why he’d ever let her become just as bad as his sister.

At any rate, it had been a day since then, and Kiran had kept Niles busy enough that Alfonse hadn’t seen him. That, of course, didn’t manage to keep him from entering his thoughts at every possible moment. It was frustrating; all-consuming- for the moments they’d interacted, how had Niles managed to leave such a mark on him? There was just something about the way he looked at him- it made him need to know more, made him need to find out why there was so much intensity behind a simple gaze.

He sighed and pushed further forward through the underbrush. Kiran had sent him on patrol around Askr’s borders when she’d noticed how antsy he’d been all day, and while he was grateful for the distraction, it was so peaceful he found himself returning to thoughts of Niles again. At the very least, the sun was sinking lower- he found his way back to the forest trail again and let himself relax a little. There would be no skirmishes with Embla today.

A twig snapping off the side of the trail drew his attention, and his hand was on Fólkvangr in an instant.  _ Just when he’d thought it was clear…  _ He tensed, preparing himself for battle, before the branches on the other side of the path parted and Niles stepped out, grinning when he saw Alfonse. He blinked in shock, wondering for a moment if he’d finally snapped and was hallucinating Niles’s very existence, but Niles was suddenly  _ next to him _ and  _ very much there. _

“If it isn’t the little prince himself,” Niles smiled, voice low but warm. Alfonse blinked at him slowly, flushing at the tone, before realizing he needed to actually answer.

“Uh- Niles! Hello,” he greeted, discreetly slipping his sword back into its sheath. “Did Kiran send you on patrol too?”

Niles hummed his assent, slinging the bow he’d been holding over a shoulder and falling into step beside Alfonse. “That she did- for training experience and the like. I’m glad I ran into you, though. I’ve been hoping to get a chance to talk with you.”

“Ah- me?” Alfonse asked, mind racing. What could Niles possibly want to talk to him about? Had he noticed how flustered he had gotten, had he been staring too long, had he-

“You’re interesting,” Niles responded bluntly. There was a smile playing at the corners of his lips as Alfonse choked on air.  _ What? _

“There’s hurt behind your eyes, little prince. Distrust. It’s…  _ intriguing _ .”

“I could say the same to you,” Alfonse blurted before he could stop himself, instantly regretting the words. He could feel himself flame red as he tried to backtrack, stuttering on an apology, but Niles cut him off with a chuckle and a wave of his hand.

“Ah, there’s that look again! I’ll have to tease you more often, won’t I?  _ Quite _ adorable, really.” He smiled again, but it was a little tighter. “I suppose we both have pasts we’d really rather not discuss, don’t we?”

Alfonse felt hopelessly lost, the conversation somehow dancing circles around him and succeeding in doing nothing but leaving him more confused. Still, a part of him was desperate to persist- desperate to see what had left Niles as afraid to trust as he himself was, and as obviously cagey despite his flirty nature.

He sighed. “You… aren’t wrong. But for what it’s worth- I… could trust you. In time.” He couldn’t meet Niles’s gaze at the admission, praying the archer wouldn’t see how flushed his face was in the dimming light. To even admit such a thing was dizzying- like plunging off a cliff without knowing if there was anyone to catch you before you hit the ground.

Niles exhaled slowly. “Trust is… often borne out of a violent confrontation or traumatic experience, little prince. But I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of those in your kingdom, won’t we? So…”

Alfonse dared to glance up at him, see the understanding behind his gaze. He had never expected to- to meet someone who understood.

“Yes, little prince. I suppose one day… I could trust you, as well.”

The walk back to the palace was quiet, but comfortable, Alfonse sneaking glances at Niles whenever he could.  _ Ah, well _ . Perhaps he could forgo his no attachments policy for once.

It was already too late to tell himself  _ no _ , after all. Not when Niles  _ understood _ .

 

**II. Training Techniques**

 

Alfonse and Niles hadn’t had much time to talk past casual greetings or quick chatter over meals since that day in the woods, both caught up in action as Veronica launched another attack, so it wasn’t until a few weeks after their first conversation that Alfonse found him again. 

Perhaps  _ found him  _ wasn’t exactly correct- rather, he bumped into him in the armory outside the training tower as he was re-stringing a bow to train with, and Alfonse had intended to polish Fólkvangr after the damage his blade had suffered last battle.

Niles greeted him with a smile when he walked in. “Little prince! It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?” He laughed lightly as Alfonse hesitated in the doorway. “Come closer, I don’t bite. You’re here to train too, right?”

Alfonse nodded with a hum of agreement, stepping into the room and hesitantly laying Fólkvangr on a bench next to where Niles was sitting with his bow. “I had only intended to fix up my blade after our last battle, but if you’re up to train, I would… like that, too. If you wouldn’t mind showing me some of your own techniques, of course?”

Niles smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at him. “Little prince, I’ll show you all the  _ techniques _ you want.”

Alfonse flushed, sputtering. “I-  _ Niles!  _ I- you-”

Niles burst into laughter as Alfonse’s face burned even brighter. “I wish I had a way to save that expression forever, little prince,” he grinned. “That was priceless. But if you  _ really  _ want a technique, we could try low-friction tactical-”

“Niles, we’re not oil wrestling,” Alfonse cut him off, grateful that Kiran had giggled to him about that particular joke of his a few nights earlier. The embarrassment that came with even saying the words was well worth the stunned look on Niles’ face. He allowed himself a light laugh.

“How did you even-”

“Kiran,” he answered simply, not attempting to disguise the mirth in his voice. “She does love to talk about her friends to anyone who will listen.”

Niles nodded, looking fond. “That she does.”

Alfonse smiled, feeling a lot lighter than he had in a long time despite the teasing. “In all seriousness, though- it might be beneficial if I were… to attempt to become versed in another weapon. Perhaps… if you’d be willing- would you mind-”

“Teaching you to use a bow?” Niles finished, expression softening. “I wouldn’t mind, but I must ask- what’s brought this on? From what I’ve seen, you’re quite adept with that sword of yours.”

Alfonse sighed, looking down. “Not adept enough,” he murmured, trying to shut out the flashes of his attempts to duel Lord Xander to free him from Veronica’s control. The phantom wound on his side throbbed at the memory, even though Lissa had long since healed it.

“Little prince…” Niles’ voice was soft. “I assure you, you are a very gifted swordsman. We haven’t fought together these past weeks for nothing.”

Alfonse flinched. “I’m… sorry, I didn’t mean for you to- I mean. I’ll just- I can just go, you probably want to get to training-”

“Wait.” He bit his lip hard at the gentleness of Niles’ voice. “I wouldn’t say I’m exactly the best person to ask for this- I am no more a good teacher than I am a good person. But, if you still wish to learn the basics of archery… I am not opposed.”

Alfonse couldn’t find anything but sincerity in his gaze. “I… thank you,” he murmured, rising to pick up a bow. “And if what you say about your teaching abilities is true… I think you’re going to be quite an excellent instructor. Shall we?”

 

“You’re already holding it wrong,” Niles told him the moment they got out onto the field and Alfonse pointed his bow at a training dummy. Before Alfonse could adjust his grip himself, he was suddenly hyper-aware of Niles’ warmth pressed directly against his back. He froze, feeling himself turn bright red as Niles reached around him to adjust his hands. His breath was hot against his neck.

“Here, you put your hands here,” he murmured. Alfonse could practically feel Niles’ smirk on his skin.  _ Why had he thought this would be a good idea? _

He let Niles adjust his position, trying his best to relax. He was certain Niles could feel how hard his heart was beating. He was also certain Niles was enjoying how flustered he was  _ far  _ too much, if the huff of breath against his neck as Niles attempted to disguise a chuckle was anything to go by. Alfonse hadn’t worn his gloves today, and try as he might to focus on anything else, the warm press of Niles’ larger hands as he showed him how to pull back the bow’s string was all he could think about.

“Distracted, little prince?” Niles laughed. Alfonse flushed harder and trained his gaze resolutely towards the ground. “You know, you’re going to want to actually look at the targets if you want to hit them.”

Alfonse did his best to calm his heart rate-  _ don’t focus on Niles right there, don’t focus on Niles right there, behind you, no, stop that- _ and aimed for the dummy in the center. Niles adjusted his position one last time and then finally stepped back.

“Go on,” he said, gesturing towards the targets. Alfonse let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, squeezed his eyes shut, and let the arrow fly.

He only dared open them when Niles burst out laughing, looking up to see that his arrow had missed the mark so badly it bypassed the training dummies entirely and was currently lodged deep in a tree. Sighing, he dropped the bow, trying his best to hide his embarrassment.

“Well. Um. I guess- I guess I’ll stick to swords for now,” he coughed, not wanting to look at Niles. Niles, for his part, sobered up enough to shoot him a grin.

“If you want to still train, we could always spar,” he suggested. “I may be a ranged fighter, but I… could still  _ help you out _ .” He winked after that, making the intent of the last three words clear, but Alfonse couldn’t help his smile at the offer even as he flushed yet again. Honestly, would he ever stop doing that around Niles?

“If you wouldn’t mind,” he replied, smiling wider when Niles returned his grin before tossing his bow aside.

“Whenever you’re ready, little prince,” he murmured. It was still for a moment before Alfonse took a swing and he sprung back, returning it faster than Alfonse had ever known he could move. He only just barely managed to dodge before Niles was advancing, nearly dancing in a flurry of movement as they exchanged blows.

“You’re,” Alfonse gasped, ducking a swing for his jaw and nearly tripping on his own feet, “amazing.”

Niles laughed lightly. He didn’t even seem to have broken a sweat. “Merely experience. I’m used to this kind of combat.” The words didn’t even make him miss a beat.

Alfonse darted in when Niles stumbled over a rock, unfamiliar with the terrain, and realized his mistake too late when Niles smirked sweetly at him before bringing a leg up and tripping him.

He caught him before he hit the ground, dipping him like he was some maiden, and before Alfonse could retaliate Niles was pinning him and all he could do was blush at the grass. Gods, that had been… an experience.

They stayed like that for a moment, Alfonse uncomfortably flustered, before Niles pulled back and offered him a hand. He let him pull him up and blinked at him, dumbfounded. “Where did you learn to fight like that? I’ve never seen a technique like yours.”

Niles shrugged, but he seemed guarded, again. “It’s merely things I’ve picked up from my childhood. Coming from where I did… you adapt fast to learning to fight if you want to survive.”

He held up a hand before Alfonse could say anything more. “You fight like royalty, little prince, prim and proper- you’re a pretty bit of porcelain. You’ve simply never learned to do anything unsavory.”

Before he walked away, leaving him aching, curious, and above all,  _ yearning _ and hopeless on the training field, Alfonse could have sworn he’d heard Niles murmur that he’d look nicer with a few chips.

 

**III. Long and Varied Chats**

 

Kiran had been sending the two of them on missions together for a few months now, and Alfonse would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it. Simply put, he liked spending time with Niles- although the archer practically lived to tease him, conversation always felt easy, a mutual understanding between them that couldn’t quite be put into words. Alfonse felt… safe, around Niles, in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time. 

They shared a comfortable certainty, a shared fear to trust that had become trust in each other; it made them an easy team even if Alfonse was still finding it hard not to get flustered around Niles every few moments. Niles was just so…  _ Niles,  _ so outwardly flamboyant but so inwardly guarded, and Alfonse couldn’t help how badly he wanted to figure him out.

They still hadn’t really talked about each other’s pasts, a topic Alfonse wasn’t exactly willing to bring up out of fear for Niles’ walls going up. Still, he wanted to be open with him, and if that meant digging up old memories he’d rather forget, he was willing to do it without hesitation.

Right now, the two of them had set up camp for the night in one of the forests in the no-man’s-land between Askr and Embla. It was a simple scouting mission; really more of an opportunity to spend time together than an actual mission. Niles added more wood to the fire they’d set up, the flames dancing across his face bathing him in golden light. He looked gorgeous as always, and Alfonse’s heart skipped a beat like it had been doing more and more frequently recently. Gods, this was hard.

“If you want to say something, little prince, you can just say it,” Niles smiled at him teasingly from across the fire. “You should know by now I don’t bite, unless, of course, you’d  _ like _ me to.”

Alfonse was actually decently proud of himself for being able to prevent himself from blushing too much at the thought. “I… I was just. Thinking.”

“Ah yes, what an  _ uncommon  _ occurrence for the prince who spends most of his free time in his own library,” Niles drawled. Alfonse laughed.

“Anyways. I was  _ thinking _ , and we haven’t really… told each other about our pasts. I trust you, you know. Even if you don’t want to say anything… I want to tell you what I can.” He studied Niles’ face in the flickering firelight, at the way his expression morphed into something softer.

“Of course I would share my past with you, Alfonse. It’s the least I could do,” he murmured. Alfonse couldn’t help the sharp intake of air at the use of his  _ name _ , rather than Niles’ favorite nickname. 

“But it won’t be pretty,” Niles warned. Alfonse nodded.

“I didn’t expect as much,” he replied softly. “Was it… very bad?”

Niles sighed and looked away, face turning sad in the warm glow. “I’ve… I’ve had to do many unsavory things just to survive. Whether it was begging, stealing,  _ killing…  _ I did it all. A life like that is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. There are things I’ve done I’d sooner die than bring up again.”

Alfonse’s breath hitched and before he could stop himself he’d moved to the other side of the fire to take Niles’ hand. “Gods, Niles. I’m- I’m so sorry. I- you know this doesn’t make you a bad person, right? I would never… I can’t imagine…”

Niles shushed him, though his grip on his hand tightened a little. “No- no, don’t be sorry. It was sweet of you to ask, and you’re being much sweeter now than I even deserve. My past may have been full of suffering, but it’s in the  _ past  _ now. I don’t mind sharing- with you, at least, when your motives are so pure.” He smiled almost sadly, but it may just have been the firelight playing tricks on Alfonse’s eyes. “After all… I trust you.”

Alfonse’s breath hitched, and he was taking Niles’ other hand before he could stop himself. He was getting a feeling that they had crossed a boundary with each other somewhere far back without either of them realizing it, but now… Niles was  _ so close, and he could just- _

“In some twisted way, I… I just want to connect with you. Like people do,” Niles breathed, so close Alfonse could feel the air ghost over his lips.  _ Oh. _

“Niles, that’s not… you’re not… you could never be twisted,” he murmured, squeezing his hands and trying not to let his gaze flicker to Niles’ lips. “Not when you’re so…  _ you.” _

Niles laughed softly, not looking away from him. The firelight played off his eye, setting it on fire, the emotion too obvious now.  _ Gods. _ “So  _ me? _ That’s hardly a compliment, Alfonse.” His voice was teasing, but Alfonse knew the words weren’t entirely jokes.

“It  _ is,”  _ he insisted, letting his gaze drop to Niles’ lips and stay there. He saw the sharp intake of breath, saw the way his tongue darted out to wet them.  _ So they were doing this. _

He didn’t give himself time to second-guess anything before he closed his eyes and leaned in the rest of the way, pressing their lips together the best he could. Niles gasped slightly, hands tightening their grip on Alfonse’s before he was kissing him back, gently, like he really was made of porcelain. He was the first to pull back, flushing and a more than a little shocked, and Alfonse smiled gently at him.

“I- you- we-” For once, Niles seemed to be at a loss for words. Alfonse drew back, giving him a moment to collect himself and trying to stifle a laugh at the expression on his face. He figured he’d be in the same state once the adrenaline rush wore off and it really set in what he’d just done, but for right now he could enjoy this. 

“Oh, thank the  _ gods,”  _ Niles finally managed to recover enough to say. “We’re… doing this, right? Like… you actually want me.”

Alfonse smiled and leaned in again, and let his actions do the talking for him. “ _ Gods,” _ Niles breathed against his lips, and gently guided him into a deeper kiss, dropping Alfonse’s hands to wrap arms around his waist. He pulled him closer, and every touch was searing his skin like Niles was made of fire and he was made of ice, but he’d let himself melt if it meant letting this moment last.

Niles pulled away first, placing a finger to Alfonse’s lips. He looked at him questioningly. “I hate to interrupt the moment, obviously, but… you never told me about yourself, little prince.” The familiar nickname made Alfonse’s heart soar. He nodded.

“Well, my past isn’t nearly as tragic as yours,” he sighed, leaning into Niles’ side. Niles draped an arm around him, and he snuggled contentedly into the warmth. “But… there was a boy. A Hero, in fact. He… was my closest friend, and he became something more. But I watched that boy die on the battlefield with my own eyes, and I was powerless to stop it. Ever since then, I hadn’t wanted to let myself get close to anyone… but then Zacharias came along.”

He sighed, drawing more of Niles’ cape around himself before continuing. “Zacharias was my oldest, dearest friend. We… we loved each other, for a long time. Or at least, I thought we did. He taught Sharena how to use a lance, he taught me how to  _ feel _ again after that first death, he was there for me after our parents died… but he disappeared, on his own, to investigate and infiltrate the Emblan Empire. Or that’s what I thought he did.”

Niles had started rubbing soothing patterns on his back, and Alfonse leaned gratefully into his touch. “It turns out that Zacharias was really Prince Bruno of Embla, and he’d been lying to me all his life. We caught him, and he admitted to it, but… he got away, and since him I haven’t let myself feel anything for people, or get attached to anyone. I- everyone I love gets hurt. I don’t want to watch that happen again.”

Somewhere along the way, tears had gathered in his eyes, and Niles was swiping them away with a thumb before he could attempt to hide them. “It won’t,” he soothed, planting a kiss on his brow. “Not anymore. I swear.”

Alfonse leaned into him and let Niles kiss him again, too good to be true and somehow happening anyways.

 

**IV. Hopes and Dreams**

 

The two of them settled into an easy flow over the next few months, their relationship only improving their synergy both on the battlefield and off. Kiran and Sharena had teased them at first, catching Alfonse shirking his royal duties a few times too many in favor of lazy mornings where he could stay in bed with Niles until long after the sun had risen, but eventually they began to balance things out properly. It was  _ easy _ , with Niles. Alfonse could say with confidence for the first time since he was very young that he was well and truly  _ happy.  _

Niles seemed happier too, more at ease, quicker to trust the new Heroes that Kiran summoned. He’d become fast friends with another archer she’d recently summoned, Leon, and Alfonse found himself warming up to Heroes faster, as well. He didn’t think he’d ever get to Sharena’s level- she still managed to be friends with  _ every Hero in the castle-  _ but he couldn’t deny that being with Niles had definitely helped him forge friendships with a few.

For once, life was good, even with Veronica’s attacks- which grew easier and easier to defeat the more Kiran expanded their ranks. He was able to find more and more moments of peace, time to just  _ be  _ with Niles, and he couldn’t be happier for it.

Still, the ability to go on proper dates was still rather restricted when it came down to it, so when Niles took his usual seat next to Alfonse in the dining hall, the last thing he expected was to be asked to go stargazing with him.

“ _ What?”  _ he asked, unsure if he’d heard his boyfriend correctly. (Gods, it felt good to be able to call him that.) Niles merely grinned.

“Kiran’s cleared us for the night- you know that hill at the very edge of the castle grounds, overlooking the lake? There’s a perfect view over there, and tonight’s supposed to be gorgeous, so…”

Alfonse breathed out a  _ “Yes,” _ before kissing him excitedly. Sharena made a cooing noise and Kiran flicked a speck of mashed potatoes at him, but he ignored them both. He couldn’t help that he was excited for this, could he?

 

Niles met him outside the door to his room, handing him a bouquet with a wink and a joke about  _ deflowering _ him later. Alfonse just laughed and tugged out a flower, putting it in Niles’ hair and taking his hand.

The hill in question had a perfect overhang where they could stargaze without the interruption of trees, and on clear nights the stars could easily reflect into the water. Alfonse would admit, he was impressed; it was an ideal date spot. He’d never thought that Niles would be such a romantic, but he’d already spread a blanket out for them and everything.

Niles shifted from foot to foot awkwardly as Alfonse took it in, mouth agape. “Niles, I… this is so sweet, I- you-”

He gave up trying to articulate his feelings and just kissed him instead.

They settled onto the blanket, Alfonse putting his flowers to the side, before Niles turned to him, his expression serious. “Alfonse, I… was wondering if we could talk.”

Immediately the worst flashed through Alfonse’s mind, but before he could panic in earnest Niles continued.

“I- do you believe a person can be irreparably damaged?”

Alfonse blinked.  _ He was talking about himself.  _ “Niles- no, never! Your past doesn’t define you, you know that. What brought this on?”

Niles exhaled softly and glanced down before meeting his gaze again. “Then… do you believe someone with a past as broken as mine could rebuild a real future?”

Alfonse swallowed hard, mind racing. Was this leading to what he suspected it was?

“Of course I do. Niles… are you…”

“Alfonse.” Niles took his hand and dropped to one knee, smiling at Alfonse’s immediate gasp. “I want to build that future with you, if you’ll have me. It might be too soon, and I know chances are slim, but-”

“Of  _ course, _ ” Alfonse choked out before he was throwing himself into Niles’ arms and Niles was slipping a ring onto his finger and for a moment, the entire world was perfect. He glanced at the night sky, and smiled even wider as a shooting star streaked across it.

“Look,” he breathed, pointing as more shooting stars followed in its wake. “I’d say that’s a good sign, wouldn’t you?”

Niles smiled. “Absolutely.” He turned to kiss him, but it really couldn’t be more than a brush of lips; they were both smiling too widely for it to be anything else.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Niles turned to him with a smirk. “Well, now that all the sappy things are handled, about what I said about deflowering you-”

_ “Niles!” _

 

**V. Bond Stronger Than Steel**

 

The planning was more stressful than Alfonse could possibly have anticipated, even though the ceremony was meant to be a small one. Anna and Sharena fought over the position of maid of honor until they gave up and just had two maids of honor and two best men; Anna and Sharena for Alfonse and Leo and Odin for Niles- a situation that didn’t exactly work next to the cramped altar they found themselves at on the other end of the portal to the brides’ battleground. Still, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Kiran acted as an impromptu ring bearer and they had Wrys act as a priest, and for the most part, it worked out. Tiki, Fae, and Nowi excitedly tossed flower petals in every inch of available space, and although it was a bit of a mess, Alfonse didn’t think he’d ever smiled wider in his life.

When this war had started, he hadn’t expected to have this many friends surrounding him on the happiest day of his life, let alone be marrying an archer from another world in a palace that was not his own, covered in flower petals thrown by  _ dragons;  _ and yet here he was, and here Niles was, and he wouldn’t trade it for the world.

“I love you,” he whispered under his breath as they joined each other at the altar, Wrys beginning to drone on about the vows behind them.

Niles smiled. “I love you too, little prince.”

Alfonse found himself taking in how carefree Niles looked, for once; he seemed happy, warm,  _ light  _ in a way he’d never seen him before. He wondered if he looked the same way. The way Niles looked at him when Kiran brought the rings forth told him he probably did. He didn’t try to hide his smile, for once.

Niles slipped the ring onto his finger with the utmost care, not even making one of any number of innuendos he could have at the moment. Alfonse did the same, hands shaking, and  _ finally,  _ Wrys announced that he could kiss the groom, and he didn’t wait a moment longer.

Sharena, Anna, and Kiran wolf-whistled as he threw himself into Niles’ arms, mouth on his, but he found he couldn’t care less. He’d just gotten  _ married;  _ he was entitled to some over-the-top PDA.

He squeaked when Niles swept him off his feet, lifting him in his arms like he weighed nothing. His sister and best friends cheered even louder, and he rolled his eyes as Niles plucked a flower from the bouquet and slipped it into his hair, right beneath his crown. “What do you say we get out of here so I can properly deflower you, hmm?” he grinned, and Alfonse flushed.

“Are you going to make that joke every time we see flowers?”

“ _ Every time.” _

He kissed the corner of his mouth again before tossing the bouquet, watching as Anna made a truly impressive jump in order to catch it. This one wasn’t enchanted, per se, but he had a feeling Anna would find a way to sell it anyways.

He turned back to Niles and kissed him again, just because he  _ could.  _ The ring on his finger was proof enough that he could,  _ forever _ .

“I love you,” he breathed, amazed at the giddiness in his own voice. “I love you.”

Niles leaned back in, kissing him once more.

“I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> IM SORRY THIS WAS A MESS BUT HEY
> 
> HMU @ylissebian ON THE OL TWITTER FOR GOOD OLD RAREPAIR SOLIDARITY,,, please yall nilesfonse is all i think about anymore


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